Re: [colorforth] FML

[Mark Slicker <maslicke@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 6 Feb 2004, Howerd Oakford wrote:

> Hi Mark,
>
> I have been busy with colorForth, making some changes to some of the system
> words ( ?dup -> /dup etc.
> I did this using colorForth, with some additions to dump to display word
> names and ASCII.
> What I now realise is that the assembler files are now out of sync, so I am
> trying to edit them and re-assemble.
> I have downloaded the *.htm files from your "vesa" download, which is the
> one that I have used for cfdos.blk.
> But I am having problems with MASM. I converted the files to *.s , but get
> "invalid character" errors. Chuck's *.asm files nearly work...
>
> So, could you possibly email me the actual files that you used to assemble
> the "vesa" system, plus details of which assembler ( is it MASM? ) that you
> used, and a simple how to.

The assembler is GAS (GNU Assembler). If you are using Windows you
can download either Cygwin or MinGW which have the GNU compiler
collection (gcc).

>
> I was hoping never to have to re-assemble, but needs must...
>
> BTW, you say that you use VBE to acquire the frame buffer location - what
> does this mean, and where is the code?

In boot.s:

	mov $0x4F02, %ax# Video mode
	mov $vesa, %bx# hp*vp rgb: 565
	int $0x10
	mov %es:42(%di), %bp
	shl $16, %ebp
	mov %es:40(%di), %bp

What this means is that I use a vbe bios call, and put the result in EBP.

Chuck searches the PCI devices for a class 3 device and then
searches the PCI devices registers for a prefetchable memory space
(the frame buffer).

In theory, Chuck's method should work. I never heard many reports about
which versions work for people, or what the result of running each
version. I assume Chuck gets many reports on his image.

One problem in his code is that he doesn't set the linear bit in specifing
the vesa mode. This may be the singular difference which makes my
code work for some and not for Chucks. I assume the cards that work with
Chuck's code only have linear frame buffer modes.

>
> I have also ported the "slime" ( AKA "snakes" ) game, simple sounds, and a
> few other bits and pieces. I will publish RSN.

Neat. Which sound code do you use?

> Also the editor display side. I just need to add the token "accept", keypad
> and insert/delete functions.
>

I put my editor off. I would like to see Chuck's colorForth 2.0 editor.

In mean time I shifted priorities. I'm documenting and working
with the networking code. It looks like Chuck did not finish the Lite-on
driver, so I may take a crack at this. Or maybe I should just get one of
these real-tek cards, they are surely cheep enough.

Best regards,
Mark

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